Storage battery.



PATENTED APR, 14, 1903., R. N. CHAMBERLAIN.

STORAGE BATTERY.

' APPLICATION FILED AUG. 13, 1902.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 30 MODEL.

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m: NCRRIS PETERS ccv PHOTO-LITHO., WASHINGTON, n. z:v

No. 725,218. l PATENTED APR. 14, 1903.

, R. N. CHAMBERLAIN.

STORAGE BATTERY.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 13, 1902.

H0 MODEL. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2..

F4? 5 z I E Jf 5- 6 i I a c2 I f X/ZKZWM/ UNITED STATES Parent T11 FFICE.

RUFUS N. CHAMBERLAIN, OF DEPEW, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO GOULD STORAGE BATTERY COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF WEST VIRGINIA.

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SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 725,218, dated April 14, 1903.

Application filed August 13, 1902. Serial No. 119,525. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern: plates being removed. Fig.7 isafragmentary o Be it known that I, RUFUS N. OHAMBER- section showing a modified construction of LAIN, a citizen of the United States, residing the end wall. at Depew, in the county of Erie and State of Like letters of reference refer to like parts 5 New York, have invented new and useful Imin the several figures.

provementsin Storage Batteries, of which the The tank, jar, or receptacle A comprises a following is a specification. bottom a, end walls I), and side walls 0. The

This invention relates to that class of electank may be constructed of any suitable matric storage batteries in which the tanks, jars, terial, such as lead-lined wood, glass, or 10 or receptacles which contain the lead plates earthenware. The tank shown in the drawor grids are provided with covers. ings is of the kind employed in large station- 6:

The hydrogen and oxygen which are formed ary batteries and .is formed of wood provided in the electrolyte of a cell by the decomposiwith the usual lead lining (1. tion of the water in the solution escape from E represents the lead plates or grids, which I5 the electrolyte in the form of bubbles, which are of any usual or suitable construction and carry with them a slight amount of the elecprovided at their upper ends with laterallytrolyte. In a covered cell these bubbles rise projecting necks f, connected with the plates and, striking the cover, burst and deposit the by upwardly-projecting shanks f. These moisture or electrolyte on the under face of plates are arranged side by side in the tank 20 the cover, while the gases escape through the parallel with the end walls thereof and in vents of the cell in a nearly'clear or dry form. the construction shown are supported in this If the moisture which thus collects on the relation by vertical plates G, of suitable incover is returned to the electrolyte in the cell, sulatin g material, preferably glass, which are a great saving of the electrolyte and an inarranged in the tank adjacent to the side 25 creased efficiency of the cell result. walls thereof. The necks or shanks of the The object of the invention is to provide a plates or grids are provided with shoulders covered tank, jar, or receptacle of simple and g, which rest on the top edges of the glass inexpensive constructionwhich will efiectuplates G. The necks of the plates or grids ally prevent the wasting of the electrolyte extendlaterallyoutward over the upperedges 3o byevaporation, will return the escaping moisof the side walls of the tank, but do not rest ture to the electrolyte, will prevent the foron or contact with said walls. 8o mation on the cover of an acid conductor H represents the bus-bars or bars which across the battery plates or cells, and will afconnect the alternate plates. They are ariord easy access to the cell for the purpose of ranged over the upper edges of the side walls 35 taking hydrometer and temperature readings of the tank, the bus-bar on one side connector for other reasons. ing the adjacent necks of the alternate plates,

In the accompanying drawings, consisting while the other bus-bar connects the adjacent of two sheets, Figure 1 is a vertical section necks of the remaining plates in the usual through a battery-cell embodying the invenmanner. The opposite longitudinal sides of 4o tion. Fig. 2 isa plan view thereof, the cover the bus-bars are beveled or diverge downand one corner of the tank being broken away. wardly. Fig. 3 is a fragmentary section through the The end walls c of the tank extend vertiupper portion of one end wall and the adjacally upward above the horizontal plane of cent portion of the cover. Fig. 4 is a fragthe upper edges of the side walls of the tank 45 mentary section of the upper parts of two to form supports for the cover. The latter,

adjacent cells. Fig. 5 is a fragmentary end which is shown at I, is in the form of a flat 5 elevation of the upper parts of the two adjaplate of acid-proof material, preferably glass, cent cells. Fig. 6 is a fragmentary horizonwhich enables the inspection of the contents tal section in line 6 6, Fig. 4, the batteryand action of the cell without necessitating from connecting the plates and forming an acid conductor across the plates or grids. Any moisture which runs from the end portions of the cover is caught by the rabbets and returned into the tank, while that from the sides of the cover drips onto the bus-bars and runs down the beveled sides thereof back into the tank. To assist in returning the electrolyte, the upper edges of the side walls of the tank are preferably beveled at i Fig.

1. With the tank constructed as described the escape of the acid-laden gases from the cell is largely prevented, thus avoiding waste of the electrolyte and necessary replenishing,

'the reduction of the temperature of the solution by evaporation, and a consequent lessened capacity and the deterioration of adjacent parts due to the action of acid vapors.

As in batteries the cells are arranged side by side, there is little likelihood of side drafts on the cells and very little or no vapor passes out with the escaping gases through the open spaces formed between the plates or grids above the upper edges of the side walls.

These spaces may, however, be closed by providing the filling-strips J. (Shown in Figs. 4 to 6.) One of these strips is placed on the edges of the adjacent side walls of two adjoining tanks beneath the bus-bar. The filling-strips are made of insulating acid-proof material-sueh, for instance, as para'ffined wood, hard rubber, or porcelain. The fillingstrip is held from endwise displacement by end blocks j, of analogous material, which are arranged outside of the ends of the bus-bar in seatsj provided for them in the end walls of the tanks and connected to the fillingstrip by bolts 7' and nuts 2' of acid-proof material. In this construction the end blocks close the spaces between the end walls of the tanks and the filling-strip closes the space between the bus-bar and the upper edges of the side walls of the tanks, so that only the very narrow spaces between the tops of the bus-bars and covers are left and the vapors will not escape through these spaces.

In the form of the tank shown in Figs. 1 to 6 the end walls are made in one piece. It is obvious, however, that the end walls could be made up of sections. In the construction shown in Fig. 7 an ordinary tank is employed in which the side walls and lower portions of the end walls are of the same height, the necessary extension of each end wall above the side walls being secured by an upper end wall section K, which is detachably held on the upper edge of the lower section of the end wall. As shown, the upper section is provided in its lower edge with a groove, in which the upper edge of the lower section engages. The upper section may be made of lead-lined wood or other acid-proof or protected material.

I claim as my invention- 1. The combination with a tank or, receptacle provided with a bottom, side walls, and end walls which extend upwardly above the tops of the side walls, of battery-plates arranged in said tank or receptacle and provided with necks which project laterally over said side walls, and a cover for said tank or receptacle which is supported by said end walls, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination with a tank or receptacle provided with a bottom, side walls, and end walls which extend upwardly above the tops of said side walls, of battery-plates arranged in said tank or receptacle and provided with necks which project laterally over said side walls, and a cover for said tank or receptacle which is supported by said end walls above and out of contact with the necks of said battery-plates, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination with a tank or receptacle provided with a bottom, side walls, and end walls which extend upwardly above the tops of said side walls, and are provided in the top edges with rabbeis, of battery-plates arranged in said tank or receptacle and provided with necks which project laterally over said side walls, and a cover for said tank or receptacle the opposite ends of which rest on said rabbets, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination with a tank or receptacle provided with a battery, side walls, and end walls which extend upwardly above the tops of said side walls, of battery-plates arranged in said tank or receptacle and provided with necks which project laterally over said side walls andare connected by horizontal bars, a cover for said tank supported by said end walls, and filling-strips arranged between the upper edges of said side walls and said connectingbars, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination with a tank or receptacle provided with a bottom, side walls, and end walls which extend upwardly above the tops of said side walls, of battery-plates arranged in said tank or receptacle and provided with necks which project laterally over said side walls and are connected by horizontal bars, filling-strips arranged between the upper edges of said side walls and said connecting-bars, and end blocks which are arranged at the ends of said connecting-bars and are connected to said filling-strips, sub,- stantially as set forth. I

6. The combination with two tanks or receptacles each provided with a bottom, side walls, and end walls which extend upwardly above the tops of said side walls, of batteryplates arranged in said tanks or receptacles, a horizontal bar arranged over the adjacent side Walls of said tanks or receptacles and connected to battery-plates in each tank, covers for said tanks which are supported by said end walls, and a filling-strip resting on the upper edges of the adjacent side Walls of said tanks 01' receptacles beneath said connectingbar, substantially as set forth.

Witness my hand this 9th day of August, 1902.

RUFUS N. CHAMBERLAIN. Witnesses:

JNo. J. BONNER,

O. B. HORNBECK. 

